Jack



e430 3, 1935, L KEEP-E I 2 2,69

JACK

Filed June 29, 1935 INVENTOR TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFICE JACK Lincoln M. Keefe, Springfield, Mass.

Application June 29, 1933, Serial No. 678,210

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in jacks, and is directed more particularly to jacks of the type used in record controlled machines.

An object of the invention is the provision of a jack of small size, rugged construction, and adapted to be mounted between the panels in the plugboard of a record controlled device.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means in a jack for reducing the contact resistance between the inner wall thereof and an inserted plug.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a jack in which a plug may be easily inserted or removed, and in which, when a plug is inserted, a more perfect contact between the plug and the body of the jack than heretofore is obtained.

Another object of the invention is the provision of spring means supported on the body thereof and communicating with the interior bore of the jack via a slot therein.

Other objects and advantages of the new and improved jack will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the drawing and a perusal of this specification.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is an elevation of the new and improved jack supported by and mounted between two panels, and having a plug inserted therein;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the jack as viewed from the side opposite the slot, and showing the position of the spring supported thereon;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the device as viewed from the side containing the slot showing the s;--.ing in position thereon;

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a view of the spring before the same is placed on the body of the jack.

The new and improved jack is made of brass, or any other suitable metal of good conductivity, and consists mainly of a body portion designated generally by the numeral I0, and a spring designated generally by the numeral I5. The body of the jack I0 is preferably made from a piece of brass tubing I I, having a hole I2 therein of suitable diameter to form a working fit with the plug 20. The outside diameter of the tube II is turned down at I3 to form a shoulder i4, and on the opposite end it is turned down at I6 to form a v shoulder IT. The end I6 is provided with threads I8 into which a screw I9 may be inserted. A slot 2I is provided in the wall of the tube I I communicating with the bore thereof.

The spring I5 is wound with a curved portion 22 which embraces the outer surface of the jack opposite to the slot 2|. A straight portion 23 of 5 the spring I5 is positioned in a slot 2| and is adapted to engage the plug 20, as will presently be described. A spring I5 has between the straight portion 23 and the curved portion 22 a loop 24 formed integral therewith. When the m spring I5 is in position on the body ID of the jack, the flat portion 23 lies in the slot 2|, the curved portion 22 embraces the body of the jack opposite the slot and the loop 24 lies in a plane against the body III in a plane angularly disposed ii to that of the slot 2|.

The straight portion 23 of the spring engages the groove 25 in the plug 20, retains the plug within the bore I2, and due to the spring tension of the loop 24, holds the shank of the plug 20 in 20 intimate contact with the wall of the interior bore I2 along the line therein opposite to the slot 2|. The plug 20 is provided with'a projecting portion 26 which may be easily engaged by the fingers of the operator for. removing or inserting 25 the same from or into the jack. A hole 21 is provided in the plug 20 in which the wire 28 of the cable 29 may be inserted and soldered.

The act of inserting and removing the plug, due to the tension of the spring I5 burnishes, 30 polishes or otherwise cleans both the surface of the plug and the interior bore of the jack along their lines of contact.

In mounting the jack, the end or shank I6 is preferably pressed into a hole in the panel 30 with a press fit and further secured thereto by the screw I9. For convenience in connecting to the jack, a suitable lug 3| is provided and positioned between the head of the screw I9 and the panel 30. The end or shank I3 of the jack is inserted into a hole in a second panel 32 and thereby the body I I of the jack is positioned between the panels 30 and 32. It is preferable to have the hole in the panel 32 of such size that the panel may be removed without upsetting the arrangement of the jack relative to the panel 30 or relative to other jacks where a plurality of jacks is used.

The spring I5 is supported on and carried by the body II of the jack Ill and is retained in position thereon by the slot 2I in which the straight portion 23 of the spring rests. This is important due to the fact that no matter what position the jack is in the spring is always in proper position thereon, so that in cases where the jack turns around when the screw I9 is screwed in, the spring cannot be disarranged relative to the jack, as is the case in well-known and existing jacks of similar character.

,The jack herein described is well adapted to quantity production on existing automatic machinery, and may be manufactured very cheaply,

- and due to the peculiar shape ,of the spring it is almost impossible to remove or place the same in position relative to the body of the jack without a tool for this specific purpose.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it is obvious that many variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

This jack is shown but not claimed in co-pending application, Serial Number 554,191, filed July 31, 1931, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

What is claimed is:

- 1. In a jack for record controlled devices a tubular body having shoulders formed near each end thereof, a slot formed in said body communicating with the interior bore thereof, threads formed in said tubular body at one end thereof, a screw engaging said threads, a head on said screw together with one of said shoulders being adapted to clamp a panel therebetween and to support said jack therein, and a spring having a plurality of loops and a straight portion, one of said loops embracing said tubular body and forming a support for the spring, the other of said loops angularly disposed relative to said first loop, and said straight portion being adapted via said slot to engage a plug inserted in said jack.

2. In a jack of the character described a hollow tubular body portion with a slot formed therein and communicating with the interior thereof, shoulders formed near each end of said body portion, threads formed in said interior at one end thereof and adapted to be engaged by a mounting screw, and a spring having a plurality of loops and a straight portion supported by said body portion by one of said loops, and held in position thereon by the engagement of the second of said loops with said body portion in a plane parallel to the center axis thereof and by the engagement of said straight portion with said slot.

3. In a jack of the character described a hollow tubular body portion with a slot formed therein and communicating with the interior thereof, shoulders formed near each end of said body portion, threads formed in said interior at one end thereof and adapted to be engaged by a mounting screw, and a wire spring formed of a plurality of loops and a straight portion, one of said loops extending about said body portion and adapted to be retained in position with the other of said loops extending along the outside of said body portion angularly disposed relative to, said first loop with said straight portion engaged by said slot, said straight portion acting through the same slot adapted to exert pressure upon a plug inserted into said jack.

4. A jack of the character described, a hollow tubular body portion with a slot formed therein and communicating with the interior thereof, shoulders formed on said body near each end thereof, threads formed in said interior at one end thereof and adapted to be engaged by a mounting screw, and a spring having a substantially semi-circular portion embracing said body portion, a convolution positioned along the out side of said body portion, and a straight portion forming an extension of said convolution and engaging said slot, said straight portion adapted via said slot to exert pressure against a plug inserted into said jack in accordance with the force exerted by said convolution.

5. In a record controlled device a pair of panels mounted substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each other, holes in said panels substantially in line with each other, a. jack positioned in said holes and comprising a hollow tubular body having its diameter reduced at each end to form shoulders, said shoulders engaging adjacent faces of said panels with said reduced portions positioned in said holes, threads formed in the interior of said body at one end thereof, a screw engaging said threads and adopted with one of said shoulders to clamp one of said panels, a cross slot formed in said body and communicating with the interior bore thereof, and a spring supported on said body near the midpoint thereof and adapted via said slot to engage a plug inserted in said jack, said spring having a semicircular portion embracing said body, a convolution angularly disposed to said semi-circular portion for exerting pressure, and a straight portion engaging said jack and applying thereto the pressure exerted by said convolution.

6. In a record controlled device a pair of panels mounted substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each other, holes in said panels substantially in line with each other, a jack positioned in said holes and comprising a hollow tubular body having its diameter reduced at each end to form shoulders, said shoulders engaging adjacent faces of said panels with said reduced portions positioned in said holes, threads formed in the interior of said body at one end thereof, a screw engaging said threads and adapted with one of said shoulders to clamp one of said panels, a slot formed in said body at right angles to the center axis thereof and communicating with the interior of the body, and a spr av a p tion of its length substantially semi-circular and embracing said body, another portion of its length forming a convolution angularly disposed relative to said first portion, and having a straight portion of its length positioned at the bottom of said slot, said spring being formed of spring wire of greater length than the outside circumference of said tubular body.

LINCOLN M. KEEFE. 

